System for securing a container

ABSTRACT

The invention describes a system for locking and unlocking containers truck chassis, railroad cars, airplane cargo decks, each other when loaded onto ships or in container yards and to other bases. The invention uses the energy exerted by lifting devices including lifting spreaders and fork lifts to create tension on a connecting line which rotates a locking leg housed in the lower corner fitting of a container to unlock the container from a base beneath it. The invention is comprised of a plate and spring housed in an upper corner fitting of a container, a line connected to the plate and guiding eyes to route a line from the plate to a locking leg housed in a lower corner fitting of a container. When the twist lock of a lifting spreader mates with the upper corner fitting of a container it forces the plate and spring in the upper corner fitting downward. A connecting line, which is attached to the plate, is also pulled downward creating a pulling force which pulls the locking leg, housed in the lower corner fitting, causing it to rotate such that the locking leg aligns with the access slot of a base beneath the container such that the container and locking leg can be lifted clear of the base and vice versa. A connecting line can also be connected to multiple locking legs and lead such that when the tine of a fork lift lifts a container the connecting line is forced upwards creating a pulling tension causing the locking legs to rotate such that the container can be lifted clear of a base and vice versa.

BACKROUND

[0001] 1. Field Of Invention

[0002] This invention is to connect and disconnect bulk containers to a base such as but not limited to chassis, railcars, ship hatches, airline cargo decks, terminal decks and other containers.

[0003] 2. Discussion Of Prior Art

[0004] When transporting or stacking bulk containers a locking device is utilized to secure bulk containers to a base such as transport vehicles including, chassis, railcars, aircraft, or to hatches on ships, or to other containers when those containers are stacked onboard ships, rail cars or in container yards. These locking devices are numerous including: cones, twist locks, lashing bars and other systems. Although these devices and systems are currently used to connect containers to various bases they posses a number of disadvantages that make them unsafe and inefficient.

[0005] Currently a device called a cone is used when connecting containers to a ship's hatches or other containers. Cones come in three forms, 1) manual cones, 2) automatic cones and 3) below deck cones. Cones are two pyramid shaped objects where the bases of the pyramids are rectangular in shape and the bases of the pyramids are back to back such that the cones, when in an unlocked position, are in the shape of a diamond. At least one of the pyramids can rotate such that the bases are no longer parallel and when inserted between container corner castings can connect containers. Manual cones are inserted into corner castings of a container that will connect to a ship hatch or another container. These cones are inserted into the corner castings manually when a lifting device lifts the container off of a chassis. The cone is inserted into the corner casting access slot of a container and the head that is in the access slot is manually turned such that the head is locked into the corner casting. Once the cones are inserted in all four lower corner castings the container is lifted to its position on the ship and lowered onto the deck or another container where the bottom head of the cone mates with the deck or upper corner casting of a lower container. The bottom head is then manually turned such that the head is locked into the corner casting thereby locking the container to a base.

[0006] Manual cones have a number of disadvantages. First, they require not only manual locking but manual unlocking. Second, they require personnel to work both on vessels and on the ground, around suspended containers which weigh many tons even when empty or at great heights. Third, when cones are not inserted or turned into the locking position they can become detached from a conatiner which causes two additional problems: 1) they will not connect securely a container to a base and 2) when the container is hoisted by a lifting device the cones can fall free injuring or killing personnel below. Fourth, a cone is one form of a number of similar locking devices used to secure containers such that additional equipment and additional purchase and maintenance costs are incurred. Lastly, recent regulations have required that all cones be of the automatic type due to safety considerations.

[0007] Automatic cones are similar to manual cones in design however, when automatic cones are mated to a base they lock automatically. Although automatic cones eliminate the need to manually lock containers to a base they still require a manual release which still puts personnel into dangerous work environments including working at great heights as these containers are often stacked five, six or even seven high on board ship hatches. In addition, automatic cones have a number of the disadvantages that manual cones posses including: 1) they require personnel to work both on vessels and on the ground, around suspended containers which often weigh many tons, 2) when the container is hoisted by a lifting device the cones can fall free injuring or killing personnel below and 3) an automatic cone is one form of a number of similar locking devices used to secure containers such that additional equipment and therefore additional purchase and maintenance costs are incurred.

[0008] Twist locks are devices that are used to connect containers to chassis. Twist locks are comprised of a locking pin and a handle where the locking pin has a shaft which runs through the bolster of a chassis and can be rotated. The locking pin also has a head which is rectangular in shape at its base and is cone shaped at it's top. Bulk containers have corner castings with access slots at their top and bottom such that when the container is mounted on a chassis the pinhead of the twist lock can mate with the access slot on a container corner casting. The access slot of a corner casting is an opening in the corner casting of a container with which the pin head can mate when the pin head is in an open position but cannot mate or disconnect when the pin is in a locked position. When the locking pin mates with the corner casting, a handle connected to the shaft of the locking pin is manually turned which in turn twists the pin head inside of the corner casting such that the base portion of the pin head connected to the shaft is now un-parallel with the opening in the corner casting access slot such that the container cannot be disconnected from its base.

[0009] Although twist locks are adequate they also posses a number of disadvantages. First, the system requires that a person to manually open and close the twist locks in order to connect or disconnect a chassis from its transport base. This manual requirement can put a person in a dangerous work environment where heavy machinery is lifting tons of equipment thereby putting an individual at risk for injury or death. A second disadvantage of twist locks is the procedures that are adopted to prevent personnel from having to unlock containers from their bases in dangerous environments. A common practice is to require personnel to unlock containers from a chassis as the container enters a yard to prevent them from having to do so around heavy machinery and suspended containers. This method can create a number of dangerous situations in a yard. First, the container is no longer connected to the tractor and chassis, it is just resting on the chassis. When an accident occurs the container is not connected to the chassis which has and will create a number of dangerous conditions. Second, while driving around a yard the twist locks often turn accidentally into the locked position requiring the driver to exit the safety of his vehicle to reopen the twist lock thereby defeating the goal of the procedure. It is not uncommon for lifting devices such as top pickers and cranes to have either dragged or lifted entirely containers with their chassis, tractor and tractor driver all connected. These, of course, are very dangerous situations for drivers and anyone else who might be in the area. A third disadvantage is that a twist lock is one form of a number of similar locking devices used to secure containers such that additional equipment and therefore additional purchase and maintenance costs are incurred.

[0010] Another disadvantage of current methods for securing containers to transport modes relates to the rail industry. When containers are stacked one or two high on rail cars the lower container simply sits in the well of the car and has no means of being connected to the car. This is because there is no way to access the lower corner fittings of a container which are sitting in the well of the rail car. As a result there is no way to manually unlock a manual or automatic cone or twist lock. By using the invention discussed in this application no access to the lower corner casting of a container is required to lock or unlock containers from a base.

[0011] An additional disadvantage of these devices is the number of different locking devices utilized to perform a single function, connecting or disconnecting containers from a base. A single device should be used to connect containers to chassis, railcars, ship batches or other containers to improve efficiency between different transport modes.

[0012] Further objects and advantages include the ability to “stack” containers in “piles” and lock them together. This advantage will produce a number of benefits.

[0013] First, it is common practice in container yards to simply stack containers in piles without securing them to one another 1) because it is not required by federal or state safety regulations, 2) equipment costs (cones are provided by vessels, not stevedoring companies or container yards) and 3) the additional labor required to set, lock and unlock connecting devices is costly.

[0014] One hazard of not connecting containers together in a pile is that when a container is being stacked it can come into contact with another container that is already in a pile. This stacked container may then fall from its base, often without the driver of the lifting device knowing that they came into contact with another container and caused it to fall. This is obviously a dangerous situation that has caused injuries and deaths to those working in container yards. With the invention described in this application additional manning and equipment costs would not be an issue thereby making it cost effective to secure containers together to prevent such accidents, injuries and deaths.

[0015] Secondly, with this invention a container would have to be stacked directly atop its base. Again, it is common for containers to be stacked in un-orderly piles where one container does not rest immediately above another. Unfortunately, operators of lifting devices, operating in tight quarters, have and will make contact with containers that are stacked incorrectly causing them to fall: again putting individuals in a yard in danger of injury or death. With my invention containers cannot be secured to their bases, in this case other containers, without being stacked directly atop a base thereby creating orderly stacks and piles and eliminating such hazards.

[0016] Lastly, locking the containers together in large wide piles will provide a more solid base in high wind areas or in earthquake prone areas (where many container terminals are located) preventing containers from falling and causing damage or injury during such events.

[0017] Inventions have been developed to overcome the above mentioned problems including Del Aqua's in 1982 (4,341,495) and Cain's in 1974 (3,980,185) These prior art forms however were not commercially viable because the components of the inventions are intrusive into the interior space of a container, susceptible to being damaged by equipment or cargo moving into and out of containers and would require modifications to the doors of a container. In addition, these inventions require all four upper corner castings of a container to be engaged by rotatable twist locks of a spreader which is not possible when using machines which only engage two of the upper corner castings or sites which use fork lists to lift containers. Lastly, the number of moving parts that comprise these art forms would be difficult and expensive to maintain in a fleet of containers strewn around the world.

[0018] The invention described in this application will improve safety in the work place and productivity by overcoming the problems brought to light by previous art forms.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

[0019] Accordingly, several advantages of this invention are:

[0020] (a) the elimination of dangerous working conditions that exist when using cones or twist locks;

[0021] (b) the elimination of requiring personnel to work around or under suspended containers:

[0022] (c) the elimination of cones coming lose and falling onto people below causing injury or death;

[0023] (d) the elimination of the need to have people climb into unsafe positions at great heights in order to manually lock or unlock cones;

[0024] (e) will eliminate the need for below deck cones on ships;

[0025] (f) the elimination of using a number of devices all of which perform the same function;

[0026] (g) the ability to secure containers to the ground in container yards preventing stacks of containers from being knocked over;

[0027] (h) the ability to secure containers to one another in container yards preventing stacks of containers from being knocked over with out the need for additional equipment, manning or placing manning near suspended containers or at dangerous heights;

[0028] (i) the ability to secure containers to rail cars

[0029] (j) the ability to secure containers to the cargo decks of airplanes

[0030] (k) the elimination of the costs of purchasing and maintaining cones and chassis twist locks;

[0031] (l) the ability to use my invention in conjunction with devices and techniques currently utilized.

[0032] Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

Drawing Figures.

[0033] In the drawings closely related figures have the same numbers but different alphabetical suffixes.

[0034]FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a spreader carrying a container with the present invention and also showing a pair of stacked and interlocked containers with the present invention.

[0035]FIG. 2 is a side view of a freight container with an upper corner casting, compression plate, spring and connecting line, some turning blocks and a lower corner casting and locking leg.

[0036]FIG. 3 is a top view, front view and side view of an upper corner casting with a compression plate, spring, guiding eye and connecting line.

[0037]FIG. 4 is a top view, front, view and side views of a lower corner casting with a guiding eye, connecting line and locking leg and a plug.

[0038]FIGS. 5a-5 c are views in perspective of bases.

[0039]FIGS. 6a and 6 b are operational drawings of a spreader twist lock as it mates with an upper corner casting and causes the locking leg of a lower corner casting to rotate.

[0040]FIGS. 7a-7 d shows an arrangement of a connecting line as it is lead through the tine wells of a container to locking legs in the lower corner fittings of a container.

REFERNCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

[0041] 1 Container

[0042] 3 Container Rail

[0043] 5 Base

[0044] 10 Corner Fitting

[0045] 15 Vertically Directed Access Slots

[0046] 20 Compression Plate

[0047] 22 Spring

[0048] 24 Guiding Eye

[0049] 25 Connecting Line

[0050] 30 Locking Leg

[0051] 35 Lever

[0052] 40 Plug

[0053] 43 Locking Leg Well

[0054] 50 Lifting Spreader

[0055] 55 Lifting Spreader Twist Lock

[0056] 60 Tine Well

[0057] 65 Tine

DESCRIPTION OF FIGS. 1 THOUGH 5

[0058]FIG. 1 shows three containers 1, two stacked and a third suspended by a lifting spreader 50 where all the containers have a total of eight corner fittings 10, four lower corner fittings 10, 4 upper corner fittings 10 and a plurality of bases.

[0059]FIG. 2 shows a container 1 where at least one of the upper corner fittings 10 houses a compression plate 20, a spring 22 and a guiding eye 24. A connecting line 25 having one end connected to the compression plate 20 runs to a guiding eye 24 connected to the ceiling or wall of the container 1 or corner fitting 10 and then through a second guiding eye 24 connected to the floor or wall of the container 1 or corner fitting 10 and is connected to a locking leg 30 housed in the lower corner fitting 10 of the container 1.

[0060]FIG. 3 shows a top view, front view and side view of an upper corner casting 10 which houses a compression plate 20, spring 22 and a guiding eye 24 where a connecting line 25 is attached to the compression plate 20 and runs through the guiding eye 24.

[0061]FIG. 4 shows a top view, front view and side view of a lower corner casting 10 which houses a guiding eye 24 and a locking leg 30 which has a connecting line 25 which runs through the guiding eye 24 and is attached to the locking leg 30. The figure also shows a top view, front view and side view of a plug 40 and locking leg well 43.

[0062]FIGS. 5a-5 c shows views of a base 5 in perspective having a vertically directed access slot 15 or a plurality of vertically directed access slots.

OPERATIONAL FIGS. 6 a and 6 b

[0063]FIG. 6a shows a lifting spreader twist lock 55, not yet engaged to the upper corner fitting 10 of a container 1. In the upper corner fitting 10 of the container 1 is housed a compression plate 10 a spring 22 and a guiding eye 24. Connected to the compression plate 22 is a connecting line 25 which runs through a guiding eye 24 attached to the wall or ceiling of a corner fitting 10 and then to another guiding eye 24 connected to the floor or wall of a corner fitting 10. The connecting line 25 is then connected to a locking leg 30 or a lever 35 connected to a locking leg. The locking leg 30 is engaged with and locked to a base 5 beneath the lower corner fitting 10.

[0064]FIG. 6b shows a lifting spreader twist lock 55, engaged to the upper corner fitting 10 of a container 1. In the upper corner fitting 10 of the container 1 the compression plate 10 and spring 22 are forced downward by the weight of the lifting spreader 50 connected to the twist lock 55. A pulling tension to the connecting line 25 is a result of the downward pressure on the compression plate 10. The connecting line 25 then runs through a guiding eye 24, attached to the wall or ceiling of the container 1 or the wall or ceiling of the corner fitting 10 and then to another turning block 24, attached to the bottom container rail 3 of a container 1 or to the underside of the floor of a container 1 or to the wall or floor of the lower corner fitting 10. The connecting line 25 is then connected to a locking leg 30, or a lever 35 connected to a locking leg 30, and the pulling tension on the connecting line 25 pulls the locking leg 30 or the lever 35 connected to the locking leg 30 such that the locking leg 30 rotates into an unlocked position with respect to the base 5 beneath the lower corner fitting 10 allowing the container 1 to be lifted clear of the base 5 by the lifting spreader 50.

[0065]FIG. 7a shows a bottom container rail 3, a tine well 60, a corner fitting 10, a connecting line 25 and a locking leg 30 in a locked position.

[0066]FIG. 7b shows a bottom container rail 3, a tine well 60, a tine 65, a corner fitting 10, a connecting line 25 and a locking leg 30 in an unlocked position. The connecting line 25 is forced upwards by the lifting force of the tine 65 causing a pulling tension on the connecting line 25 such that it pulls the locking leg 30 into an unlocked position.

[0067]FIG. 7c shows a top view of a container 1, corner fittings 10, locking legs 30 and tine wells 65 where the connecting line 25 runs from the locking legs 30 across the opening of the tine wells 65.

[0068]FIG. 7d shows a side view of a bottom container rail 3, some corner fittings 10, and locking legs 30 where the connecting line 25 is lead from one locking leg 30 to another where the connecting line 25 crosses the access slot of the tine well 65.

[0069]FIG. 7c shows a side view of a bottom container rail 3, some corner fittings 10, and locking legs 30 where the connecting line 25 is lead from one locking leg 30 to another where the connecting line 25 would be forced to the top of the tine well 65 by tines 60 inserted in the tine well 65 causing a pulling tension on the connecting line 25 which causes the locking legs 30 to rotate to an unlocked position.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE IF INVENTION

[0070] Accordingly, the reader will see that the use of a block and tackle arrangement in containers will improve safety conditions in vessel terminals, rail yards, container yards and anywhere else containers are being lifted off of the ground. The improved safety conditions that my invention allows will be realized by personnel operating on docks, on ships, on rail cars, in trucks and in container yards. The results will be fewer injuries and deaths and more efficient operations.

[0071] A secondary safety related advantage of my invention will be a decrease in the costs associated with on the job injuries that occur around container operations. These decreased costs will be realized by the transportation industry and ultimately consumers.

[0072] Another advantage of my invention is that a single device will be used to connect containers to bases. This will decrease the purchase and maintenance costs connected to cones and chassis twist locks; again decreasing costs to the transportation industry.

[0073] While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof.

[0074] One possible ramification is the placement of the guiding eyes. In the drawings and description these guiding eyes are housed in the corner fittings however they can just as easily be attached to the containers ceilings, walls, upper rails or lower rails so long as they guided the connecting line such that the energy created by the weight of the spreader twist lock compressing the spring can be converted into a pulling force that rotates the locking leg.

[0075] In addition, the locking leg can be of many shapes and comprised of a single unit or multiple parts so long as the leg stays within the lower corner fitting when lifted by a lifting device, able to withstand the forces, dictated by international standards, to secure a container to it's base and is able to mate with and rotate within bases such that when the locking leg is in a locked position the locking leg and access slot of the base are not aligned and therefore cannot separate.

[0076] Also, the connecting line need not lead only to one locking leg but can be lead to multiple locking legs. When locking legs from the front and rear of a container are connected by a connecting wire, the wire can be lead across the tine wells of a container. This will cause the connecting line to pull the locking legs into an unlocked position when the tines of a fork list enter the tine wells and begin lifting a container. The force excerted by the machine causes the container to become unlocked with respect to a base beneath the container.

[0077] The lower corner fitting can also be a single unit or comprised of multiple parts as described in the drawings and text of this application so long as the lower corner fitting can house, support and allow the locking leg to rotate.

[0078] In regards to bases; a base need only be a vertically directed access slot in a surface such that a locking leg can mate with, rotate in and lock to the underside of the access slot. For example, a square tube with access slots embedded into the surface of a container yard or access slots in the cargo deck of an aircraft could be bases.

[0079] Another design for a base is a base having slotted vertical access openings on both the ceiling and floor of the base such that the base can be used as an adapter to receive and lock to the male locking legs of the proposed invention and the twist lock devices currently used to lock containers to transport modes such as but not limited to chassis.

[0080] Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 

I claim: 1) a system for unlocking a container from a base using the energy exerted by a lifting device to cause a pulling tension on a connecting line where said connecting line is connected to a locking leg housed in a corner fitting of said container such that said tension created by said lifting device causes said locking leg to rotate such that it can be lifted clear of said base and vice versa. 2) a cargo container having access slots for lifting devices where at least one upper corner fitting has a vertically directed access slot which can mate with a rotatable twist lock of a lifting spreader and where said upper corner fitting houses a plate and compressible spring where a connecting line having a first end and a second end where said first end is connected to said plate and is routed through a plurality of guiding eyes such that when said rotatable twist lock mates with said upper corner fitting said plate is forced downward against said spring thereby causing a pulling tension on said connecting line where said second end of said connecting line is routed through a second said guiding eye and connected to a rotatable locking leg housed in said lower corner fitting whereby the pulling tension caused by said downward force of the rotatable twist lock causes said rotatable locking leg to rotate such that it aligns with a vertically directed access slot of a base such that it can be lifted out of or lowered into said vertically directed access slot of said base by said lifting spreader. 3) said base of claim 2 where said base is a surface with at least one vertically directed access slot that is of size and shape that said locking leg of claim 2 can pass through said access slot and rotate such that said locking leg cannot pass through said access slot. 4) said base of claim 2 where said base is a surface with at least two vertically directed access slots that oppose each other in the ceiling and floor of said base that is of size an shape that a locking leg can pass through said access slots and rotate such that said locking legs cannot pass through said access slot. 5) said connecting line of claim 2 where said connecting line is connected to some or all of a plurality of locking legs of claim
 2. 6) said corner fitting of claim 2 where said corner fitting can be comprised of multiple parts including a plug with a well whereby the plug can fit in the vertically directed access slot of said corner fitting and the locking leg of claim 2 can extend trough the said well and rotate. 7) said spring of claim 2 where said spring can be any compressible material that has memory and will return to it's original shape after a compressing force has been removed from it. 8) a cargo container having means to connect and disconnect to at least one turable member of a spreader and with respect to either slotted corner fittings of another container or to the slotted fittings of a base beneath it, said means comprising a pair of vertically offset upper and lower corner fittings having vertically directed access openings or slots, a plate and compressible spring housed in at least one of the upper corner fittings, a plurality of connecting lines having two ends, a plurality of guiding eyes, and a plurality of rotatable locking legs whereby one end of said connecting line is attached to said plate and where said connecting line is lead through said plurality of guiding eyes and said second end of said connecting line is attached to said locking leg whereby said locking leg protrudes from a lower corner fitting such that it can mate with said base when said turn-able member of a spreader mates with said corner fitting said compressible plate and spring are forced downward such that said connecting line is forced downward creating tension on said connecting line which because of said guiding eyes results in a pulling force on said second end of said connecting line causing said locking leg to rotate about it's vertical axis and align with the vertically directed access slots of a base therebeneath thereby unlocking the locking leg from it's base and vice versa and a said connecting line connected at said first end to said locking leg and at said second end to a second of across the access slot of a tine well in said container such that when a tine enters the tine well and lifts the connecting line is forced upwards causing a pulling tension on said connecting line causing the causing said connecting line to pull said locking legs causing said locking legs to rotate about their vertical axis and align with the vertically directed access slots of a base therebeneath thereby unlocking the locking legs from their base and vice versa. 9) said base of claim 8 where said base is a surface with at least one vertically directed access slot that is of size and shape that said locking leg of claim 8 can pass through said access slot and rotate such that said locking leg cannot pass through said access slot. 10) said base of claim 8 where said base is a surface with at least two vertically directed access slots that oppose each other in the ceiling and floor of said base that is of size an shape that a locking leg can pass through said access slots and rotate such that said locking legs cannot pass through said access slot. 11) said connecting line of claim 8 where said connecting line is connected to some or all of a plurality of locking legs of claim
 8. 12) said corner fitting of claim 8 where said corner fitting can be comprised of multiple parts including a plug with a well whereby the plug can fit in the vertically directed access slot of said corner fitting and the locking leg of claim 8 can extend trough the said well and rotate. 13) said spring of claim 8 where said spring can be any compressible material that has memory and will return to it's original shape after a compressing force has been removed from it. 